Improvement in sewing-machines



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Sewing Machine.

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Sewing Machine.

No. 13,195i Patehied july 3, 1855.

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UNITED STATES PATENT Ottica.

JEROME B. VOODRUFF, OF IVASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN SEWING-MACHINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. l3.l95, dated July-Il,1855.

TU aZZ wiz/0m, it may concern:

Be it knownthat I, J. B. VOODRUFF, of the city of IVashington, in theDistrict of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Sewing Machines; and I do hereby'declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, making a part thereof, in which`- Figure lrepresents a vertical section through the machine, so as to clearlyrepresent all of the main operative parts thereof. Fig. 2 represents anisometric view of the machine when complete and ready for use. Fig. 3represents a sectional elevation, designed to show the parts which arepurposely covered' up in the complete machine. Fig. 4 represents amodified form of the machine as represented in Fig. 2. Figs. 2, 3, and 4are on a reduced scale.

Mymain obj ect is to simplify, cheapen, and render effective asewing-machine, so that it may be with safety and economy used by anyone .without liability to derangement; and my invention may be said toconsist in removing all the vunnecessary and complicated parts from themachine, and so combining the few pieces I do use as to have a directand uniform action of the whole, thus making the machine the most simpleof its kind, while its product is not inferior to any known machine,either in the quantity or the quality of its work, and in simplifyingthe mechanism I have made the machine itself ornamental, each ornament,however, being a part or `parcel of what makes up the Whole, butsacrificing nothingexclusively to ornament. I thus am enabled to furnisha parlor with a neat piece of furniture of the most useful kind.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I willproceed to describe the same with reference to the drawings, in whichsimilar letters of reference refer to like parts.

A represents the base upon which the machine is supported. From thisbase rises an ornamental center piece,which may be shaped like a lyre,B, Fig. 2, or a hollow column, as seen in Fig. 4, and on this centerpiece, B, is firmly secured a table, C, furnished for convenience withdrawers D, and on top of the table is an escutcheon, E, over which theneedle-arm, which I propose to make in imitation of a bird, F, stands.These several pieces may be wrought or ornamentcd to please the fancy ofthe purchaser or user. Vhen the lyre-shaped piece B is used, it isprovided with a door, slide, or other suitable opening, so as to getat-the machine incased within it. The object of incasing or inclosingthe operative parts of the machine is t\vofold-viz.,first, to removethem from sight, so as to give the machine the appearance of apiece offurniture, s

but more especially to prevent the oil or lubricator, which the movingparts ofthe machine require to make it run smoothly, from iiying uponand soiling the clothes ofthe user. It will be perceived by 'referenceto the drawings, Figs. 2, 4, that in the complete machine every part hasa useful function, while there is nothing exposed but what is highlyornamental.

To the base A of the machine is attached a treadle, G, upon which thefoot of the operator is placed to give motion to the machine. To thistreadle is connected one end of a connecting-rod, H, the other end ofsaid rod being connected to a wrist-pin, a, on the pulleywheel I, saidpulley-wheel being provided with several grooves, l 2 3, of varieddiameters, for increasing or diminishing the motion of the machine inaccordance with the peculiar kind or quality of work to be sewed.

Around the pulley-wheel I, and around a smaller pulley, J, arrangedimmediately under the` table, and provided also with a series ofgrooves, passes an endless belt, K, for transmitting a highly-increasedmotion from'the treadle to said upper pulley, to be further transmittedto the machinery, to be presently described.

IVhen the hollow column, as seen in Fig. 4, is used, the pulleys andbelts are dispensed with, and the treadle, instead of a verticalvibratory motion, has a horizontal vibratory motion, which iscommunicated to the sewing apparatus directly by a rod leading from thetreadle to said apparatus. In this case, as in that of Fig. 2, ytheoperative parts which require oiling are all concealed, but easilyarrived at for repairs, changing speed, oiling, cleaning, or for anyother purpose.

To a wrist-pin, b, in the pulley J, Fig. 3, is connected one end of aconnecting-bar, L, Fig. 1,.the other end of said bar being connected, bya screw and nut, c, passing through it and through a slot, d, to the armM, so that by means of said screw and nut and slot the bar L may be madeadjustable. i Ihe arm M is a part of or connected to a rock-shaft, N,and by means of the mechanical devices above described said rock-shaftgets its rolling or rocking motion from the treadle.

To the slot d in the arm M is attached, by means of a screw and nut, c,one end of a connecting-bar, o, Jthe other end being connected byawrist-pin, f, to the slnittle-earrier p. The connecting-bar o beingadjustable in the slot d of the cam M admits of communicating to thesluittle-carrier an accurately-adj usted motion, which is positive anduniform. rlhis is an important feature in sewing-machines, bebecause theneedle and shuttle (or whatever catches up the loop ofthe needle-thread)must work in perfect harmony with each other to insure perfect sewing,and I achieve this result by connecting the two together by a rigid bar,so that the motion oi' both must be uni- 'orm. f

rlhe shuttle-carrier I) is pivoted to a suspended arm, Q., on the underside of the escutcheon at a point, i, which is in a vertical line belowor passing through the sewingpoint, and it vibrates in the arc ot' acircle, of which 'i is the center. rlhe shuttle, the feed, and themanner of regulating the length of the stitch may be the same as thatrepresented and described in a former application oi' mine, and need notbe particularly mentioned here. Ot' the shuttle, however, it may be aswell to mention that-its eye should be forward of the center of theshuttleitself i'or the purpose oi' drawing up the stitch with its threadwith the same length of thread that the needle has between its eye andthe stitch, which causes each to exert the same force and more perfectlydraw up and tighten the stitch. It also slackens up the sluittle-threadas it passes back to make the next stitch. R is a hinged guard whichprevents the shuttlcfrom iiying out of its seat in the-carrier, butwhich guard may be readily raised upto take out or insert the shuttle.

rIhe rock-shaft N rises justabove the top of the escutcheon, and has itsbearings in the eseutcheon, and is ornamented to receive a handsoinelycast or wrought bird, F, which is the needlebar. is provided with ahinged lid, S, on the back or upper side, which, when raised up, wouldstand like the red lines in Fig. l. This lid is provided with aspring-bolt, fn, and button m, by which it maybe secured or opened.fithvfaster than it is required.

The bird is cast hollow, and.

naief;

in the body of the bird i's placed the spool from which the needle issupplied with its thread, and also the thread-tightener 7s,onfrictionspring,to prevent the thread from paying out In the bill ofthe bird is arranged the needle r, and the thread passes from the spoolto the eye of the needle underneath the spring 7.', as seen in red linesin Fig. l.

For the purpose of holding the cloth to the table and preventing it fromrising with the needle, I use a coiled snake, s, with the needle (whichmay represent a prolongation of the bill ofthe bird) passing through thesnakes head, thus further carrying out my design of beautifying mymachine,while I sacri i i ce n oth ing exclusively to ornament.

Every part of the machine which could not be made ornamental is out ofsight.

It is immaterial to the operation ofthe ma chine which way the pulleysrun, as they ei'- fect the same motion to the needle and shuttle whetherthey run one way or another. rI`his is quite important, and is due tothe positive and unvaryin g motion ofthe needle and shuttle operated asI have described them.

In many machines the motion must always be in one direction, and greatcare must be exercised in starting. Vith my machine the foot may beapplied to the treadle in any of its positions with entire safety, asthe needle and shuttle cannot but work together.

\Vhen leather is to be sewed, a cup or ball of wax may be inserted inthe body of the bird, over or through which the thread may pass to waxit.

Having thus fully described the nature ol' my invention, what I claimtherein as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. rIhe making ofthe needle-bar hollow and providing it with a door orslide for the purpose of holding incased therein such parts ot' themachine as may be desired, and this I claim whether the needle-bar beornamental, as described, or otherwise.

2. rIhe direct and positive connection of the needle-arm and shLittle-carrier, by which means they both move simultaneously and inperfect harmony with each other, so that whichever way the pulley isdriven the operation of the machine will be the same, substantially asdescribed.

JEROME B. VOODRUFF.

Witnesses A. I3. SrroUci-rToN, Tiros. II. UrrianMAN.v

